The Hard Things in the Twenty-Third Psalm

The Twenty-third Psalm is one of those lovely creations of the Spirit which every expositor fears to touch lest he should bruise it in the handling. It is like fingering a cluster of grapes as it hangs in tender bloom upon the vine. It is like touching anything where touching is perilous, and where beauty can easily be marred. But, strangely enough, in the very middle of the psalm there are some hard and difficult things. First of all, there are toilsome roads of duty which are called ‘‘ paths of righteousness.”? And then there is a narrow and fearful passage of gloom which is called ‘‘ the valley of the shadow.” And, in the third place, there is a ring of encompassing foes which is set forth in the phrase, ‘‘In the midst of mine enemies.” What is there in front of these difficult places? What is there behind them? In front of them, and behind them, and in the very midst of them, there is the astoundingly rich provision which the good Lord has made for pilgrims who have to go through them, so that they may march along in holy triumph, rather than stumble along in paralysing fear.

Well, then, there are these roads of duty, the paths of righteousness. Who is there who finds it easy to walk in straight paths? How is it with the path of straight thinking, with no perverse crookedness, and every thought as straight as truth? How is it with the path of straight desiring, no wish wriggling in obliquity, but every aspiration running in the line of rectitude? How is it with the path of straight willing, every choice resisting the enticement of the evil lures? Are these paths easy? The Apostle Paul writes of ‘‘a crooked and perverse generation,” and it is in the midst of such moral twistings and turnings that believers in God are to maintain a straight course, and take the road of hallowed duty, the path of righteousness which is the path of peace. ‘“‘ He leadeth me in paths of righteousness.”’

And then there is the valley of the shadow. There is nothing in the original word which compels us to accept the suggestion of death. Indeed, the margin of the Revised Version gives us the alternative rendering, ‘“‘ the valley of deep gloom.” This valley may have nothing to do with death. It may rather represent those hard experiences in life when the devil appears to be more powerful and more in evidence than God. Devilry seems to be rampant on every side, grinning and mischievous, and apparently triumphant. This is surely the most appalling valley of gloom when the soul is tempted to doubt the interest and activity of God, and to assume that evil is more alive than the Lord. ‘When I walk through the valley of gloom I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.” And the third of the hard places is the place of the encircling foes, ‘‘ In the midst of mine enemies.’’ Who does not know these besetments? Sometimes these are sins that chase us across the years, full of the menace of destruction. Sometimes temptations get round about us. Sometimes sorrow rings us round and we cannot see a way out. In all these experiences it may appear that the enemy had us fast in his gloomy prison. And yet, blessed be God, ‘‘ Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.” What may the loyal pilgrims expect to find on these roads which are full of difficult places? They will find the green pastures of evangelical truth. They will find the quiet waters of the promises of grace. They will find the oil of spiritual refreshment, the unction of the Holy One, the joy of the Holy Ghost. And they will find a sort of rearguard of grace, goodness and mercy coming on behind, shielding them from the assaults of their yesterdays, intervening between them and their old sins. ‘“‘ Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”